Calculate Risk & Earn Great Rewards
Turn your fascination with numbers into a high-paying career. Our unique Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Actuarial Sciences — one of the few of its kind in the state — prepares you to be an actuary, a professional who analyzes risk for insurance companies.
Actuaries earn high salaries, with the 2021 median being $105,900, and they are in high demand. In fact, the job outlook through 2030 is rated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as “much faster than average.”
Belhaven’s Unique Advantages
You deserve an education that emphasizes your academic, personal, and professional growth. At Belhaven, you’re guided through your journey by a faculty mentor, and you push yourself in a range of skills — mathematics, business, and even computer science — with professors who care about you.
Additionally, you have a chance to study under — and network with — industry experts brought to Belhaven through our partnership with Rize Education. Through Rize Education, you'll take unique courses designed particularly for actuarial sciences.
You can also take the first Society of Actuaries (SOA) exam before graduation, a distinction advantage to a Belhaven degree.
Why You’ll Love Actuarial Sciences at Belhaven
Caring Faculty
Our faculty members are experts in their fields, and they know how to teach. They guide you through the difficult stuff. They know you by name, and they push you to succeed.
Strong Community
At Belhaven, we believe in community — and we help you get connected from day one. You choose from social events, competitions, Bible studies, and more. You get to really know your classmates and professors.
Great Internships
Because we prepare you for real life in the workplace, you’re ready to compete. You have internship opportunities with impressive employers. And, when you’re done with your studies, you already have a strong resume.
Christian Worldview
You are challenged to think critically and analytically about who God is — and who you are — as we equip you to fulfill your calling to glorify God and be a blessing to the world.
$105K Average Salary
Earn a great living crunching numbers and projecting risk
↑ Rising Demand
Benefit from a fast-growing number of actuary and related jobs
Industry Connections
with Rize Education and local industry partners
Hands-On Tech
Learn industry-standard software and technology through our tech-rich curriculum
What Can You Do with an Actuarial Sciences Degree?
- Actuarial consultant
- Business analyst
- Insurance actuarial analyst
- Investment analyst
- Risk analyst
- Teacher
- Underwriter
Actuarial Sciences at Belhaven Teaches You How To…
- Code using R and Python programming
- Solve problems and prove theories using the calculus series, differential equations, linear algebra, and mathematical proof techniques
- Understand complex topics in economics, finance, and the mathematics of interest and risk
- Use accounting techniques
- Work technologies like Wolfram Mathematica and 3D printing
After graduation, you’re also prepared to take certification exams offered by the Society of Actuaries. In fact, you’re ready for your first exam before graduation.
Double Major & Get Your 5th Year Free
Fuel your academic passions and expand your career options. Belhaven offers our freshmen a unique deal: double major, and we’ll pay the tuition if you need a fifth year in school. Double major in two arts programs, pair a business degree with a STEM major … the possibilities are endless!
Actuarial Sciences: Opportunities for You
- 4-Year Plan for Freshmen (pdf)
- 4-Year Plan for Transfers (pdf)
Our mathematics seminar meets several times per semester to expose you to math topics not typically covered in a classroom. You’re able to engage with professors and students from different universities and learn about the rich history and beauty associated with this subject.
Friendly competitions are common in the Math Department. There’s a “Question of the Week” competition as well as national problem-solving challenges. The department also hosts the annual and campus-wide math scavenger hunt to help show the abundance and relevance of mathematics around us.
You can join in on the creative development of these competitions and also win prizes by participating in them.
The “maker movement” — a celebration of creativity, curiosity, hands-on learning, and invention — is alive and well at Belhaven through our Maker Campus. As a STEM student, you’re encouraged to explore your creative side and build projects that solve real-world problems. We empower you with facilities ranging from electronics and printing labs to sculpture studios.
We also promote collaboration, especially with students from our arts programs. By harnessing the power of art and science, there’s no telling what you can accomplish.
The Math & Computer Science Club allows students a community with social events, math and coding student support, and opportunities to join both the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) and The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).
As a science or math major at Belhaven, you may apply for the Marion Davis Ridgway and Elise Davis Endowed Scholarship. This $1,000 scholarship is awarded once per academic year to a STEM student who is pursuing a pre-professional program in the health sciences.
The scholarship can be received multiple times. You must have a minimum ACT score of 29, be admitted to Belhaven, and complete an application and interview process. March 1 is the application deadline each year.
Why Trust Belhaven With Your Future?
Our quality is recognized by SACSCOC, which grants our institutional accreditation and authority to award associate, bachelor’s, master’s, educational specialist, and doctoral-level degrees. Plus, we’re consistently recognized by organizations like U.S. News & World Report for our academic excellence, commitment to community service, expert faculty, and overall value.
Meet Our Faculty
Dean of the School of Science and Mathematics, Professor and Yearger Chair of Mathematics and Computer Science, and Director of Engineering Partnerships
John Estes
Dean of the School of Science and Mathematics, Professor and Yearger Chair of Mathematics and Computer Science, and Director of Engineering Partnerships
Specialty Instructor of Mathematics
Kathy Hammons
Specialty Instructor of Mathematics
Assistant Professor of Computer Information Systems and Director of the Computer Information Systems Program
Corky Wicks
Assistant Professor of Computer Information Systems and Director of the Computer Information Systems Program
Contact Us
Office of Admission
Phone: 601-968-5940Mailing Address:
1500 Peachtree Street, Box 153
Jackson, MS 39202
For campus visit:
Jimmy Hood Welcome Center
855 Riverside Drive
Jackson, MS 39202
Fax: 601-300-2932
Verse of the Year
For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.
Psalm 100:5